Senate ratifies AFIS

MANILA, Philippines - The measure seeking to establish an automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) now awaits the signature of President Aquino after the Senate ratified it on Wednesday.

Under the measure, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) shall implement, in a uniform and non-discriminatory manner, a single, official, centralized, interactive computerized voter registration list defined, maintained and administered by the agency.

It shall contain the name and registration information of every registered voter with a unique identifier.

As reflected in Senate Bill 1030, the law requires all registered voters whose biometrics have not been captured to appear before election officers and have their photographs, fingerprints, signatures and other identifiable features captured through biometrics.

Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III, chairman of the Senate electoral reforms committee, said the measure is meant for the 2016 elections, not for next year.

“If you have not undergone biometrics measurement under the Comelec, you cannot vote by 2016, even if you are registered,” he said.

Pimentel said the Senate committee needs to ensure the Comelec is duty enabled by law to administer clean, honest, fair and credible elections.